GAMING SYSTEM WITH LINKED GAMING MACHINES THAT ARE CONFIGURABLE TO HAVE A SAME PROBALILITY OF WINNING A DESIGNATED AWARD

• US 20080026824A1
• Filed: 07/27/2006
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Original Assignee: IGT (International Game Technology)
• Inventors: Muir, David H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,512,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/25
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A gaming system that is controlled by a central controller and includes a plurality of gaming machines. Each of the gaming machines includes a game operable upon a wager by a player, a plurality of winning symbol combinations including a designated winning symbol combination and a probability of achieving the designated winning symbol combination. At least two of the gaming machines have different probabilities of achieving the designated winning symbol combination. The gaming system includes a designated award and a triggering event. After an occurrence of the triggering event, the central controller is programmed to change the probability of achieving the designated winning symbol combination for at least one of the gaming machines such that each gaming machine has an equal probability of generating the designated winning symbol combination.

Claims

1. A gaming system comprising:

a central controller;

a first gaming machine operable to communicate with the central controller, said first gaming machine including;

(a) a first winning symbol combination having a first probability of being generated, and

(b) a different second winning symbol combination having a second probability of being generated;

a second gaming machine operable to communicate with the central controller, said second gaming machine including;

(a) a first winning symbol combination having a first probability of being generated, and

(b) a different second winning symbol combination having a second probability of being generated; and

wherein the central controller is programmed to cause a change of either;

(a) one of the first probability of the first gaming machine or the second probability of the first gaming machine, such that the other of the first probability of the first gaming machine or the second probability of the first gaming machine remains unchanged;

or

(b) one of the first probability of the second gaming machine or the second probability of the second gaming machine, such that the other of the first probability of the second gaming machine or the second probability of the second gaming machine remains unchanged.

2. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the first probability of the first gaming machine to change to the second probability of the first gaming machine.

3. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the second probability of the first gaming machine to change to the first probability of the first gaming machine.

4. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the first probability of the second gaming machine to change to the second probability of the second gaming machine.

5. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the second probability of the second gaming machine to change to the first probability of the second gaming machine.

6. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the first probability of the first gaming machine to change to the first probability of the second gaming machine.

7. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the first probability of the first gaming machine to change to the second probability of the second gaming machine.

8. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the second probability of the first gaming machine to change to the first probability of the second gaming machine.

9. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the second probability of the first gaming machine to change to the second probability of the second gaming machine.

10. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the first probability of the second gaming machine to change to the first probability of the first gaming machine.

11. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the first probability of the second gaming machine to change to the second probability of the first gaming machine.

12. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the second probability of the second gaming machine to change to the first probability of the first gaming machine.

13. The gaming system of claim 1, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the second probability of the second gaming machine to change to the second probability of the first gaming machine.

14. A gaming system comprising:

a central controller;

a first gaming machine operable to communicate with the central controller, said first gaming machine including;

(a) a first winning symbol combination having a first probability of being generated, and

(b) a second winning symbol combination having a second probability of being generated; and

a second gaming machine operable to communicate with the central controller, said second gaming machine including;

(a) a first winning symbol combination having a first probability of being generated, and

(b) a second winning symbol combination having a second probability of being generated,

a designated award; and

wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the change of at least one of;

(i) the first probability or the second probability of the first gaming machine; and

(ii) the first probability or the second probability of the second gaming machine;

such that the first gaming machine and the second gaming machine have an equal or substantially equal probability of generating the designated award.

15. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the first probability of the first gaming machine to change to the second probability of the first gaming machine.

16. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the second probability of the first gaming machine to change to the first probability of the first gaming machine.

17. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the first probability of the second gaming machine to change to the second probability of the second gaming machine.

18. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the second probability of the second gaming machine to change to the first probability of the second gaming machine.

19. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the first probability of the first gaming machine to change to the first probability of the second gaming machine.

20. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the first probability of the first gaming machine to change to the second probability of the second gaming machine.

21. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the second probability of the first gaming machine to change to the first probability of the second gaming machine.

22. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the second probability of the first gaming machine to change to the second probability of the second gaming machine.

23. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the first probability of the second gaming machine to change to the first probability of the first gaming machine.

24. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the first probability of the second gaming machine to change to the second probability of the first gaming machine.

25. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the second probability of the second gaming machine to change to the first probability of the first gaming machine.

26. The gaming system of claim 14, wherein the central controller is programmed to cause the second probability of the second gaming machine to change to the second probability of the first gaming machine.

27. A method of operating a gaming system, said gaming system including a first gaming machine and a second gaming machine, said method comprising:

(a) providing a first probability of a first winning symbol combination being generated for said first gaming machine;

(b) providing a second probability of a first winning symbol combination being generated for said first gaming machine;

(c) providing a first probability of a first winning symbol combination being generated for said second gaming machine;

(d) providing a second probability of a first winning symbol combination being generated for said second gaming machine; and

(e) changing either;

(i) one of the first probability of the first gaming machine or the second probability of the first gaming machine, such that the other of the first probability of the first gaming machine or the second probability of the first gaming machine remains unchanged;

or

(ii) one of the first probability of the second gaming machine or the second probability of the second gaming machine, such that the other of the first probability of the second gaming machine or the second probability of the second gaming machine remains unchanged.

28. The method of claim 27, which includes changing the first probability of the first gaming machine to the second probability of the first gaming machine.

29. The method of claim 27, which includes changing the second probability of the first gaming machine to the first probability of the first gaming machine.

30. The method of claim 27, which includes changing the first probability of the second gaming machine to the second probability of the second gaming machine.

31. The method of claim 27, which includes changing the second probability of the second gaming machine to the first probability of the second gaming machine.

32. The method of claim 27, which includes changing the first probability of the first gaming machine to the first probability of the second gaming machine.

33. The method of claim 27, which includes changing the first probability of the first gaming machine to the second probability of the second gaming machine.

34. The method of claim 27, which includes changing the second probability of the first gaming machine to the first probability of the second gaming machine.

35. The method of claim 27, which includes changing the second probability of the first gaming machine to the second probability of the second gaming machine.

36. The method of claim 27, which includes changing the first probability of the second gaming machine to the first probability of the first gaming machine.

37. The method of claim 27, which includes changing the first probability of the second gaming machine to the second probability of the first gaming machine.

38. The method of claim 27, which includes changing the second probability of the second gaming machine to the first probability of the first gaming machine.

39. The method of claim 27, which includes changing the second probability of the second gaming machine to the second probability of the first gaming machine.

40. The method of claim 27, which is provided through a data network.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the data network is the internet.

42. A method of operating a gaming system, said method comprising:

(a) determining a first winning symbol combination associated with a first gaming machine having a first probability of being generated;

(b) determining a second winning symbol combination associated with said first gaming machine having a second probability of being generated;

(c) determining a first winning symbol combination associated with a second gaming machine having a first probability of being generated;

(d) determining a second winning symbol combination associated with said second gaming machine having a second probability of being generated; and

(e) changing at least one of the first probability or the second probability for the first gaming machine or the second gaming machine, such that the first gaming machine and the second gaming machine have an equal or substantially equal probability of achieving a designated award.

43. The method of claim 42, which includes changing the first probability of the first gaming machine to the second probability of the first gaming machine.

44. The method of claim 42, which includes changing the second probability of the first gaming machine to the first probability of the first gaming machine.

45. The method of claim 42, which includes changing the first probability of the second gaming machine to the second probability of the second gaming machine.

46. The method of claim 42, which includes changing the second probability of the second gaming machine to the first probability of the second gaming machine.

47. The method of claim 42, which includes changing the first probability of the first gaming machine to the first probability of the second gaming machine.

48. The method of claim 42, which includes changing the first probability of the first gaming machine to the second probability of the second gaming machine.

49. The method of claim 42, which includes changing the second probability of the first gaming machine to the first probability of the second gaming machine.

50. The method of claim 42, which includes changing the second probability of the first gaming machine to the second probability of the second gaming machine.

51. The method of claim 42, which includes changing the first probability of the second gaming machine to the first probability of the first gaming machine.

52. The method of claim 42, which includes changing the first probability of the second gaming machine to the second probability of the first gaming machine.

53. The method of claim 42, which includes changing the second probability of the second gaming machine to the first probability of the first gaming machine.

54. The method of claim 42, which includes changing the second probability of the second gaming machine to the second probability of the first gaming machine.

55. The method of claim 42, which is provided through a data network.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the data network is the internet.